Robert Murray M’Cheyne was a Scottish minister in the mid-1800s. M’Cheyne died at age 29 after he famously uttered these words on his death bed: “God gave me a message to deliver and a horse to ride. Alas, I have killed the horse and now I cannot deliver the message.”

God has given you, too, a message and a horse. The better you care for the horse, the more good you can do with your message. When you take care of your body and mind, you serve God and love the people around you.

And the benefits of running aren’t just physical. Elizabeth McLeod Sadler at Vanderbilt says: “The psychological benefits of running far outweigh the physical demands. In fact, running is often used to treat clinical depression and other psychological disorders.”

Busy people can always find reasons not to exercise. The truth is a regular running routine will boost your energy and enable you to be more productive, thus maximizing your time. Devoting as little at 20 minutes, 3 or 4 times a week to running can result in significant results for your body and mind.

How to start? Let me say that I’ve always hated running. I still do, to a certain extent. I much prefer basketball for a cardio workout. However, the results I’m seeing from running keep me coming back. The time commitment is low and my health isn’t dependent on anyone’s schedule but mine.

I found a simple running plan online, hung it on the fridge, and started crossing off each day. After a few days (when I would normally give up on a new exercise regimen), I felt compelled to keep going so I could cross off the next day. [This calendar method is a great way to get yourself to accomplish new goals.]

Also, I signed up for a 5K race with a friend. He’s an experienced runner and helped me stick with my plan. I ran the 5K yesterday and have plans for a 10K in February. These races keep me motivated in training.